Flour, Grain, and Oil Suppliers Workshop

Kansas City, September 11-14, 2023

USDA, AMS, FGIS

10383 N Ambassador Dr

Kansas City, MO 64153

Main contacts: Dan Webber: dan.webber@usda.gov

and Ruffo Perez, USAID: ruperez@usaid.gov

I. Introduction 

The U.S. Agency for International Development Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance 

(BHA), the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA/AMS), 

and the Federal Grains Inspection Services (FGIS) are collaborating to host a 

commodity supplier and stakeholders' workshop in Kansas City, Missouri, from 

September 11th to September 14th, 2023. This annual working meeting aims to focus 

on continuous commodity and supply chain improvement. The primary areas of interest 

for this year's meeting are fortified flours, grains, and prepackaged oil. Specifically, the 

workshop will bring together key suppliers to engage in discussions related to the 

following topics:

a) Development and validation of commodity testing and piloting capabilities 

through Interagency Arrangements (IAAs) with FGIS and the Department of 

Defense (DoD).

b) Ongoing efforts to assess best practices at the source (commodity 

manufacturing), including packaging harmonization, fumigation, and 

warehousing.

c) Commodity and packaging quality assurance and sustainability of key Title II 

commodities, such as fortified flours and fortified rice.

The workshop will take place at the FGIS Center in Kansas City, Missouri, and aims to 

facilitate productive discussions and knowledge exchange among suppliers, 

stakeholders, and partners, including site visits. Please find the draft agenda attached.

To ensure effective discussions and to share results and implementation actions, the 

workshop has been structured in the following manner:
1. Day 1: Creating food aid commodities testing and piloting capabilities. The 

workshop will address the challenges associated with uniquely formulated food 

commodities used by the US Government, such as super cereal plus, fortified 

rice, fortified vegetable oils, and fortified blend flours. These commodities require 

specific testing methodologies, packaging, and supply chain management. 

Efforts are being made to enhance testing capabilities and improve packaging 

supply chain systems.

2. Day 2: Assessing best practices at the source, including packaging 

harmonization, fumigation, and warehousing. Recent field trips conducted by 

BHA have revealed gaps in quality compliance at the source, particularly 

regarding fumigation practices, containerization, packaging harmonization, and 

preposition warehouse management. The workshop will focus on discussing 

major recommendations and actions to optimize commodity fumigation practices, 

addressing implementation paths, responsibilities, accountability, and trackability.

3. Day 3: Ensuring quality and sustainability of key Title II commodities, such 

as fortified flours. Title II commodities are produced in the U.S., often at higher 

costs compared to locally sourced commodities. The long supply chain from 

production sites in the U.S. to distribution sites presents challenges that can 

impact the quality and nutritional value of the commodities. Topics for discussion 

include raw materials, blanket purchase agreements, procurement policies 

affecting prices, and other relevant aspects.

4. Day 4: Technical tours and site visits: On the final day of the workshop, 

participants will have the opportunity to engage in technical tours and site visits. 

These visits will include the FGIS Laboratories and testing facilities, local flour 

suppliers, and local packaging technology vendors.

By addressing these themes and organizing site visits, the workshop aims to facilitate 

knowledge exchange, promote best practices, and enhance collaboration among 

stakeholders.

II. Participants and Attendees

To ensure maximum efficiency, specific participants will be targeted for each activity 

during the workshop. Here is an outline of the expected participants for the different 

sessions:

1. Creating food aid commodities testing and piloting capabilities: Suppliers 

who have collaborated with FGIS and the DoD Soldier Lab on commodity and 

packaging testing will be invited. Additionally, kernel suppliers, premix vendors, 

packaging vendors, implementing partners, researchers specializing in 
sustainable packaging, and other relevant stakeholders will be sought to 

participate.

2. Food aid commodity fumigation process and practices discussion: Key 

suppliers, pest control inspection partners, freight companies, warehousing 

partners, and other relevant partners involved in the supply chain will be included 

in this session. The goal is to have a comprehensive representation of 

stakeholders responsible for the fumigation process and ensuring compliance.

3. Site visits: Coordination will be conducted with suppliers, the AMS/FGIS Center, 

and packaging technology vendors to develop an agenda for the site visits. The 

specific participants for the site visits will be determined based on the locations 

visited and the relevance of their expertise and involvement in those areas.

By targeting specific participants for each activity, the workshop aims to gather relevant 

stakeholders with specialized knowledge and experience to foster productive 

discussions and facilitate meaningful collaboration.

III. Workshop Deliverables

The workshop will cover the following agenda items:

1. Revise the implementation of commodity testing protocols by FGIS for key 

commodities, including fortified vegetable oil and fortified rice. This session will 

focus on reviewing and improving the protocols to ensure accurate and reliable 

testing methods.

2. Revise the implementation of newly agreed-upon protocols for fumigation, 

packaging harmonization, and second-party auditing of warehouses. The 

objective is to discuss and enhance the implementation of these protocols to 

ensure quality compliance and standardization.

3. Discuss and reach an agreement on the approach for second-party auditing of 

grain procurement. This session will address the auditing process and establish 

guidelines to ensure transparency and accountability in grain procurement 

practices.

4. Discuss a major field trial involving bulk shipping, new commodity packaging, and 

supply chain improvements in specific challenging countries such as the 

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Yemen, and South Sudan. The focus will 

be on sharing experiences, identifying best practices, and exploring solutions to 

address supply chain challenges in these complex environments.
By addressing these topics, the workshop aims to streamline and improve various 

aspects of the humanitarian food assistance supply chain, ensuring quality, efficiency, 

and effectiveness in delivering aid to communities in need.

Flour, Grain, and Oil Suppliers Workshop

Kansas City, September 11-14, 2023

USDA, AMS, FGIS

10383 N Ambassador Dr

Kansas City, MO 64153

Main contacts: Dan Webber: dan.webber@usda.gov

and Ruffo Perez, USAID: ruperez@usaid.gov

Meeting Draft Agenda

Date/Time Topics

Sept 11 

2023

Introduction

FGIS Testing Capability: Oil and Rice

Packaging/Infestation Testing Capabilities 

Fortified Rice Field Trial Progress Report: Testing and Specification Updates

Kernel/Premix Testing, Specification

Others (i.e., COA, Testing, Spec, contaminants, Packaging)

Sept 12 

2023

Introduction

Food Aid Fumigation Locations and Implementation of SOPs 

Roles, Responsibility and Accountability

Supply Chain and Field Implications of Ineffective fumigation practices

Trackability and Traceability of Fumigation activities

Sept 13 

2023

Sustainability of Title II SCP Production 

Food Safety, Quality and Packaging Performance

Resizing Packaging, Improving Supply Chain Performance and keeping Nutritional 

Value

The Supplier Side 

Sept 14 

2023

FGIS Lab/Testing Facility Tour 

Local USG Packaging Supplier Site Visit

Local USG Supplier Visit